|
|
World Champ hurt in training accident
by brule
Posted: Jan 19, 2009
Source: Animal Commencal
Current World Champion Rachel Atherton sustained a dislocated shoulder yesterday when she was involved in a training accident with a car. The Atherton trio have been training hard in Santa Cruz California since the start of January and yesterday was no exception. Details are sketchy but it seems Rachel hit the car head on with her brand new Cervelo road bike taking the brunt of the damage.
Current World Champion Rachel Atherton sustained a dislocated shoulder yesterday when she was involved in a training accident with a car. The Atherton trio have been training hard in Santa Cruz California since the start of January and yesterday was no exception. Details are sketchy but it seems Rachel hit the car head on with her brand new Cervelo road bike taking the brunt of the damage.
Photo by Sven Martin
Rach has an appointment with the specialist today and hopes to be up and ready for the first round of the World Cup in April, further updates on Rach can be found at http://www.animalcommencal.com/
Click here for the New Story
252 Comments
- + 212
fishboy67
(Jan 19, 2009 at 10:36)
healing vibes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
freaking hell.
rachel's lucky then, that she didnt get killed or severely injured.
all the best to you rachel.
rachel's lucky then, that she didnt get killed or severely injured.
all the best to you rachel.
Bloody cars, 2 of the best british dh riders killed, and now the #1 female dher.
Hope she has a quick recovery.
Hope she has a quick recovery.
Seriously? This is the thrid rider in the past week to get taken off the bike thanks to cars. Get well, this sucks.
hey guys (brits), just a question but do you guys have cycle lanes over your way? we do here in NZ and theyre wonderful. cars get $150 fine if caught driving in them.
yeah we do have cycle lanes over here, but why should it matter.. the accident happened in SC California.
Same thing here, It al depends on the area, the more snoody and rich the more bike lanes there are in socal.
Sucks cuz Santa Cruz, Aptos and surrounding areas are hip to bikes of every kind. Everybody rides there and the vibe is cool. Just hope she didn't break anything so she can put this behind her and get to rippin it up.
How did you miss that? Ben Ineson and Tom Rogers were killed last week. It's been littered pretty much everywhere to do with mountain biking...
wtf i get neg props for the same thing the jack-gerry says whats with that?
o and i was out skiing it was awesome
o and i was out skiing it was awesome
Yah it sucks when the trees are 2 ton moving objects, that don't see you.
Hiving both been hit and have hit a cyclist (both were minor, thank God), it is scary how easily it may happen.
Good luck Rach, hope you heal up just fine, in time. To get back to your domination of the WC!
Hiving both been hit and have hit a cyclist (both were minor, thank God), it is scary how easily it may happen.
Good luck Rach, hope you heal up just fine, in time. To get back to your domination of the WC!
there are a ton of bike/car related accidents here in SC, not a safe place to ride. last May at the end of the school year, 4 people got hit on the same road in roughly the same half mile of road too. there are just a lot of bad drivers.
Well if was in the same strech of road, mabey it was the road that was dangerous, and not the drivers^^^. Hope to see you back on the bike soon Rachel!
wow stryke you officially suck. trees don't come at you at 35mph, which gave her less than half the time to react, and because it's so much bigger than a rock or tree, harder to avoid. you fail in epic fashion.
"stryke"
you fail this is not something to make jokes or wise cracks about
words are powerful things be careful what you say or type
you fail this is not something to make jokes or wise cracks about
words are powerful things be careful what you say or type
just because shes a pro dh rider doesnt mean she doesnt ride a road bike for the fun of it every now and again......btw road bikes are the best bikes to train on bar none
to a certain extent...I'm sure she was only on a road bike and I know both companies make a mean road bike from casual to race.
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
Get well soon Rach, Hopefully this will be a bigger incentive to tear up the DH tracks again this year
[Reply]
Take that picture down, it's disrespectful. She is definitley feeling like shit, and the last thing she needs is pictures of her making her look like shit.
Yeah it sucks that she was hurt and who knows how she feels about the picture being posted. But unfortunately there are 3000plus pictures of people on PB that have crashed and been hurt. Not much was said about those pictures so I don't see the problem with this one being posted.
Now if the people that have replied were saying negative things above then maybe the picture should be removed out of respect for a fellow rider. But I have read nothing but get wells and healing vibes.
That's just my opinion really and although your heart is in the right place I will have to respectfully disagree about taking the picture down.
Now if the people that have replied were saying negative things above then maybe the picture should be removed out of respect for a fellow rider. But I have read nothing but get wells and healing vibes.
That's just my opinion really and although your heart is in the right place I will have to respectfully disagree about taking the picture down.
I checked this earlier this morning and it was a different pic and that's when all those comments got put up. Now I checked again and saw a different pic ( the current one ) I agree with "futterbuck," this pic should be removed! I would be mad if my pic was up there like that right after I got hit by a car!
You need to check out the team's website then. They have no problem displaying the pictures of their own... Stuff happens on bikes, she will look super tough after she recovers and comes back to win the world cup again...
It's news.
News has an obligation to show things like this.
Showing a photo of her pre-crash would just be silly.
News has an obligation to show things like this.
Showing a photo of her pre-crash would just be silly.
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
f*cking Ford drivers..... shit! go to the animal commencal page and look at the truck! shit! shes lucky she has a head still!!! Shes a beast she will get it agian!
dude, I drive a ford ranger too, I've never hit a bike, but i did get hit by a honda once...not about the truck man, it's about the stupid drivers.
personally I'm not fond of fords either but I've seen more idiots in s10s than i can count.....but yea F.O.R.D. found on road dead
that sucks really bad, that picture of the annihilated windshield on their website shows how hard she must have hit, hope you feel better soon Rachel
it really doesn't take much to break a windshield now a days......they are designed to collapse like that in case of a situation like this.....although they don't do much to stop dear and moose's from coming through.....
[Reply]
[Reply]
what a sad story, get well soon Rachel, wish you all the best
i hope you will heal as fast as you shred
Stay strong
life is so fragile & precious, things can turn bad so quickly... ride every day and appreciate it as if it was your last one.
i hope you will heal as fast as you shred
Stay strong
life is so fragile & precious, things can turn bad so quickly... ride every day and appreciate it as if it was your last one.
is it me or is loads of bad things happening in the world of bikes latley, first mike atiken falling into a coma, then ben and tom, rest in piece boys. and now rach, esshhh
get well soon!
get well soon!
its not that more things are happening to bikers, its more of the stories are making headlines like this
HHmmm i guess you have a point, but thats kind of a good thing in away. Showing that this amazing section of sport is becoming more recgonised
Accidents happens, can't avoid them. Wich you to get well soon Rach!!
Cause people like you give others ''INSPIRATION''
Cause people like you give others ''INSPIRATION''
Roads are bloody dangerous. At least there's no cars to take you down on a DH track.
Get Well Soon Rachel.
Get Well Soon Rachel.
HOLY CRAP - Go on the animalcommencal.com website and
LOOK AT THE STATE OF THE TRUCK! She broke the windscreen with her face!
LOOK AT THE STATE OF THE TRUCK! She broke the windscreen with her face!
i fail to see the sticker, but considering thats a fairly mountainous area, i wouldn't be surprised if it were another rider. wouldn't yea just feel like shit hitting a pro like that??
f*ck bad drivers, We all get to dh races by some kind of vehicle. Just Hate the lame people that dont knowhow to drive.
Is that Gee in the 80s spectacles and his skinsuit? Cant believe that 
Anyhow, lets wish rach a speedy recovery!
Anyhow, lets wish rach a speedy recovery!
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
Shes been very very very lucky, hope she recovers quickly in time for beginning of World Cup season!! Glad its only a dislocated shoulder...could have been a lot worse....Get well soon Rach!!
the only thing that puts me off getting a road bike CARS!!!! my MOST scary, dangerous times on my bike have been a 2.2mile commute to/from work
most drivers are F*CK*NG MORONS
get well soon champ!
most drivers are F*CK*NG MORONS
get well soon champ!
jesus girl, wear a helmet. even a cheap xc lid saved my life when i got hit by a car, its definitely worth it. looks like you were pretty lucky this time, not even a broken bone, but seriously wear a helmet!! surely its a small price to pay, looking a bit less cool in exchange for your life. cmon rach, you're the female world champ, you get helmets for free! get well soon x
[Reply]
[Reply]
i've seen the pictures on their website and that's pretty serius, wouldnt wonder if theres even more what happend to her, but hopefully she gets better soon and also can get on her bike again...
[Reply]
[Reply]
Shoulder problems all round for the Athertons! In the last nine months: Dan, broken collarbone; Gee, separated shoulder; Rachel, dislocated shoulder.
Collect the whole set!
Collect the whole set!
[Reply]
That's scary. That's why I quit racing road cuz you have to train with 1 and 5 ton obstacles that never acknowledge you're there. GET WELL SOON. This sport needs you!!!!
[Reply]
hmmm let me see.......ford ranger(about 1200bls.) vs. 200bls of bike and rider????i wounder who's gonna win....simple physics, pretty sad considering I'm in grade ten and i figured that out on my own........and im not surprised the driver didn't notice her, because motor cycles(300-600 lbs) still don't get noticed so I'm not really surprised at all
Lol i hear ya ive been hit every year on the road they dont care always on the cell thank god for the new law againt cells while driving !
OH YEA!!!!!!!!to bad they tossed in the blue tooth dealio, i think if ur phone rings u pull over and answer it
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
best wishes lass, she said on facebook she had been hit by a truck, but i didnt give it a thought till i seen the thread, jeez.
RIP? shes hasnt passed, shes on the road to recovery already, miracle she made it tho. head-on collisions usually dont end up so lucky.
[Reply]
[Reply]
This is why I will never road bike. I'm staying in the woods where it's safe. Good luck with the recovery Rachel. Shoulder injuries are tough.
[Reply]
Just saw some more pics, she is in a neck brace, it was like a big Ford Ranger that she hit, big smash in windscreen. Before looking at the next world cup we should look that she is alive. I dunno why this hits me so hard, get well, im sure many prayers will go out tonight! We downhillers are tough people, you will bounce back. 
best of luck in your recovery, I hate to see a fellow rider get hurt like that, but it happens, as i said best of luck and hope to see u heal up in time for the wc season start
[Reply]
Horrible news.
NSGreg, if it was her head that smashed that windscreen (which is sort of is the right size for) then I can only assume she was wearing a helmet since she ain't dead or suffering from some brain trauma.
I'm guessing this driver has been hit by a few cars too. Note the the the 'Ford' logo on the front has been replaced with 'Arai', makers of motorbike helmets. As a cyclist I drive around looking out for cyclists, I assume that a someone into motorbike ridig would do the same. Pure speculation of course, but I don't think this driver was your average unaware-of-riders driver.
Recover soon, Rachel.
NSGreg, if it was her head that smashed that windscreen (which is sort of is the right size for) then I can only assume she was wearing a helmet since she ain't dead or suffering from some brain trauma.
I'm guessing this driver has been hit by a few cars too. Note the the the 'Ford' logo on the front has been replaced with 'Arai', makers of motorbike helmets. As a cyclist I drive around looking out for cyclists, I assume that a someone into motorbike ridig would do the same. Pure speculation of course, but I don't think this driver was your average unaware-of-riders driver.
Recover soon, Rachel.
[Reply]
blinkin road bikes are such death traps to ride, I hate them! I hope she gets well and is able to shred/dominate the next season without any set backs!
[Reply]
I'm glad she'll recover and all, but is anyone else wondering why the Athertons are in Santa Cruz? Switching to the Syndicate perhaps?
If so, no other MTB team could ever touch their UCI point totals!
Road cycling is dangerous as all get out! We truly are better off in the woods.
If so, no other MTB team could ever touch their UCI point totals!
Road cycling is dangerous as all get out! We truly are better off in the woods.
Rachel is pure Armadillo and will bounce back she was helicoptered of the UK national Champs course this year and was back in the afternoon from Hospital to watch her brother have a go for the National Champs jersey...
road crashes are a problem for riders used to running on the left hand drive down the road when riding abroad in countries that drive on the other side especially when using narrow roads... If you see an approaching vehicle, your safety instinct says to pull to the left to let them come through, however the on coming driver sees a cyclist in effect steering into the middle of the road and then in effect riding against the traffic.. they are baffled to say the least and do not think the rider might be foreign.. the accident may not be all the drivers fault.. only the Athertons know..
All I can hope is she recovers fast ....
road crashes are a problem for riders used to running on the left hand drive down the road when riding abroad in countries that drive on the other side especially when using narrow roads... If you see an approaching vehicle, your safety instinct says to pull to the left to let them come through, however the on coming driver sees a cyclist in effect steering into the middle of the road and then in effect riding against the traffic.. they are baffled to say the least and do not think the rider might be foreign.. the accident may not be all the drivers fault.. only the Athertons know..
All I can hope is she recovers fast ....
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
That sucks! I hope she gets better soon! I met her in whistler, her and gee are INSANELY nice. as said before.... "Healing vibes"
man that was not me who said that these little f*cking punks in my towm no my pass word so settle down
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
that realy sucks, but thank God shes alive i cant imagine how terrible it would be if a rider died in training, get well soon
Get Well Soon Rach....
I heard they were doing some testing on road bikes for a possible switch to track cycling with the GB squad.......
I heard they were doing some testing on road bikes for a possible switch to track cycling with the GB squad.......
i hope she gets well soon!
but also i have heard sitings of the Athertons riding in UCSC area... is this true? it'd be nice to try and chase them down some local trails! that'd be awesome! =]
but also i have heard sitings of the Athertons riding in UCSC area... is this true? it'd be nice to try and chase them down some local trails! that'd be awesome! =]
[Reply]
[Reply]
[Reply]
Third party source on Ride Monkey... so I can't vouch for this information. It seems legit, to me.
From the local paper:
Quote:
Bicyclist injured in accident
A 21-year-old woman was flown to an out-of-county trauma center after being hit by a pickup while riding her bicycle around noon Sunday, according to the California Highway Patrol. She was not wearing a helmet.
The woman, visiting from Britain, was biking northbound in the southbound lanes of Amesti Road just south of Browns Valley Road. She was riding with friends when she was hit, CHP officer A. Voorhees said.
"The exact cause of the crash is under investigation but basically she was on the wrong side of the road," Voorhees said. "She was with a group of riders and was the first to leave the closure at Amesti, came around the curve and drifted into the opposing lane."
The woman crashed into the windshield on the passenger side and suffered a dislocated shoulder as well as some cuts to her face, according to CalFire Capt. Tony Arnold.
The woman was conscious and breathing when medics responded.
"She just wasn't paying attention," Arnold said.
Traffic in the area was blocked for about 20 minutes, the CHP reported.
Aptos
From the local paper:
Quote:
Bicyclist injured in accident
A 21-year-old woman was flown to an out-of-county trauma center after being hit by a pickup while riding her bicycle around noon Sunday, according to the California Highway Patrol. She was not wearing a helmet.
The woman, visiting from Britain, was biking northbound in the southbound lanes of Amesti Road just south of Browns Valley Road. She was riding with friends when she was hit, CHP officer A. Voorhees said.
"The exact cause of the crash is under investigation but basically she was on the wrong side of the road," Voorhees said. "She was with a group of riders and was the first to leave the closure at Amesti, came around the curve and drifted into the opposing lane."
The woman crashed into the windshield on the passenger side and suffered a dislocated shoulder as well as some cuts to her face, according to CalFire Capt. Tony Arnold.
The woman was conscious and breathing when medics responded.
"She just wasn't paying attention," Arnold said.
Traffic in the area was blocked for about 20 minutes, the CHP reported.
Aptos
Good old Litter Mag,
http://www.littermag.com/2009/video-exclusive-rachel-atherton-on-her-road-biking-accident/
http://www.littermag.com/2009/video-exclusive-rachel-atherton-on-her-road-biking-accident/
Total healing to you Rachel.
It sounds as if she was racing her brothers, cutting a corner. Bad decision but we all make them sometimes. The Com site says she and the driver swerved 'the wrong way' - understandable given that on US roads she's on the opposite side to UK roads.
What matters is that she's up and walking and will be back on a bike for the WC and will destroy all comers :-)
It sounds as if she was racing her brothers, cutting a corner. Bad decision but we all make them sometimes. The Com site says she and the driver swerved 'the wrong way' - understandable given that on US roads she's on the opposite side to UK roads.
What matters is that she's up and walking and will be back on a bike for the WC and will destroy all comers :-)
Tombo,
Good link fella.
Yeah all agreed she doesn't look at her peak in the photo. Should it be taken down? This is all good publicity for the Atherton brand, look at all the comments. Thats why Dan Brown their Team Manager rushed this press release out for maximum exposure. That is his job and he done it well! Thats how it rolls.
Good link fella.
Yeah all agreed she doesn't look at her peak in the photo. Should it be taken down? This is all good publicity for the Atherton brand, look at all the comments. Thats why Dan Brown their Team Manager rushed this press release out for maximum exposure. That is his job and he done it well! Thats how it rolls.
I am dissapointed now. How did she come into hiting the car head on (on a road bike)? The other day some old complained to me as I was ridding my bike on the pavement instead (she wanted me to go on the road), but I explained to her she did not stand a cat in hell's chance of me doing her and that, after God, I feared cars above anything else in the whole of the world (I did also appologize for the inconvinient). I've seen many people badly injured due to DH or XC trashing, but when cars get involved, things usually get far worse. I just hope for a quick recovery. God bless you Rachel.
I like how people where fast to pick on the driver as per usual, bunch of disrespectful pricks.
Get well soon Rachel.
Get well soon Rachel.
I do hope the best for her, but why are most people so quick to jump to the conclusion that the car was at fault? If she hit it head on, either the car was in the wrong lane, or she was in the wrong lane, or it was a 1 lane road where all parties should be careful.
did it report somewhere she didn't have a lid on? wow...she is very lucky. hope you get to pinning it soon, Rachel.
Shes a tuff girl. If its just a seperated shoulder, she will be just fine and ready for April! GOOD LUCK GIRL!
[Reply]
Yea... this is a great example of why bikes should not be with cars...stay on the dirt!RIDE DH! she just got unlucky....
Post A New Comment
Why was a comment deleted?
1. add additional on topic info to the article that other users will find useful
2. add props and support/encouragement for the video/photo/article/product/story
3. add and explain constructive criticism for the video/photo/article/product/story
1. add additional on topic info to the article that other users will find useful
2. add props and support/encouragement for the video/photo/article/product/story
3. add and explain constructive criticism for the video/photo/article/product/story
RSS
